ATLANTA — The founding dean over the Martin Luther King Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse College is stepping down after nearly 50 years of service.
Channel 2’s Lori Wilson sat down with Dr. Rev. Lawrence Edward Carter about his years of service and how he was asked to oversee the chapel by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. himself.
“I have certainly enjoyed my work,” Carter said. “It has been delicious.”
Carter became the founding dean of the college on July 1, 1979.
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He was appointed by Morehouse College President Hugh Gloucester. When it happened, Dr. Benjamin E. Mays was the speaker, and now 47 years later, Carter is ready to step down.
Channel 2 Action News reported when Carter’s retirement was made public in May.
Carter said his call to serve came from King at an Ohio church library when he was just 15 years old.
“When he said ‘Do you plan to go to college?’ and I said, ‘Yes,’” Carter said. “He then said ‘Have you considered Morehouse?’ I said, ‘Yes, but some neighbors talked me out of it.’”
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King asked Carter to reconsider. He said it stuck with him.
“That little exchange literally sunk into my consciousness and gripped me, subconsciously,” Carter told Channel 2 Action News.
Carter was at Boston College, but when he learned of King’s assassination, he said he felt the pull of Morehouse again.
“We sat on the back pew and with tears coming down my face, I prayed out loud. ‘Lord, help me to do something significant for Martin Luther King before I close my eyes,’” Carter said.
That significant act was accepting a position as the founding dean of the Martin Luther King, Jr. International Chapel at Morehouse.
For nearly 50 years, Carter guided and helped create a global hub for ethics and peace education, and interfaith dialogue.
At Morehouse, Carter has preached, built community, started a chapel assistant position, a pre-seminarian program, created community awards, raised money and traveled the world teaching reconciliation.
“The work is done, the foundation is in place and the, and the sidewalks,” Carter said. “My successor will build the skyscraper. I don’t feel tired, I’m not out of ideas.”
Since announcing his retirement from the position of chapel dean, Carter says he’s received overwhelming support.
Rev. Dr. Jason R. Curry officially took on the role on June 15, leaving his previous position as dean at Fisk Memorial Chapel at Fisk University in Nashville, Tennessee.
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